Samsung drops Apple patent counter-suit

Samsung said it has decided to drop a counter suit filed against Apple in the spat developing between the two companies over who has the prettiest phone.

Apple accused Samsung of ripping off its designs and demanded to see some of the Korean outfit's future products to see if its pseudo-boffins could find any similarities between those and its iOfferings.

Samsung returned fire with a similar suit, which it has now given up on - it says to better fight Apple's claims that it is a 'copyist which has been attempting "to harrass' the Cupertino company.

Samsung - which makes chips for Apple is suing its customer in eight courts in six countries alleging patent infringements. It has filed a complaint with the US International Trade Commission seeking to ban Apple from shipping iPhone, iPad and iPod products in the US. Apple has a similar request on the table seeking a similar ban on upcoming Samsung gadgets - three Samsung Smartphone devices and the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet device.

The legal to-ing and fro-ing is all a bit sad, really. A bit like car makers complaining at each other that the vehicles they're churning out all have a wheel on each corner.